Computers and similar devices can be connected to share and exchange information via computer networks. A common type of computer network is a local area network (“LAN”) which will typically employ a data communication protocol (LAN standard), such as Ethernet, FDDI or token ring, that defines the functions performed by data link and physical layers of a communications architecture (i.e., a protocol stack). Several LANs may be interconnected by point-to-point links, microwave transceivers, satellite hook-ups, etc. to form a wide area network (“WAN”) or “internet” that may span an entire country or continent.
Within a LAN, a switch or router is a computer that includes a plurality of ports that couple the switch to the other computers within the LAN. The switch transfers data among the other computers of the LAN. Transferring data includes receiving data at a source port from one computer and transferring that data to at least one destination port for receipt by another computer. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,737,526, 7,068,624, and 7,787,340 discuss various aspects of routers and networks.
As mentioned, LANs are connected together via WANs, of which the Internet is the largest and best known example. The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (often called TCP/IP, although not all applications use TCP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries an extensive range of information resources and services, such as the inter-linked hypertext documents of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the infrastructure to support e-mail.
LANs connect to the Internet via “gateways.” A gateway is a computer that is connected between a LAN switch computer and a gateway or switch of a different LAN. Gateways switch data between LANs and separate intra-LAN traffic from Internet traffic. Thus, the Internet consists of communications links between gateways. In some cases, a local device may act both as a computer terminal (for user interface) and as a router and/or gateway.
A router may be connected in communication with the individual computers or devices either by wires (e.g., Ethernet) or wirelessly (e.g., WiFi or similar proprietary radio communication; infrared communication; ultrasound). Similarly, a gateway may be connected with the Internet either by wire/cable (e.g., telephone; DSL; coaxial or optical fiber) or wirelessly (e.g., cellular broadband).
Like any computer, routers are not perfect in operation. Occasionally it is necessary to access a router in order to adjust various settings, to upgrade its software, or to reboot it when it stops working correctly. This sort of access or administration can be accomplished locally—by physically going to the router and plugging in a human interface device, such as a keyboard; or it can be accomplished remotely—by logging into the router via its own Internet connection.
Typically, remote access is accomplished by a process of establishing a TCP/IP connection, then sending log-in information, then sending commands to configure or reboot the router. Where multiple routers are to be adjusted, each is logged-in separately, via a unique TCP/IP session. The process of administering multiple routers therefore is sequential and time-consuming.